Home Again
by Willow21
Summary: Sam is welcomed back to the White House, but first there's a chilling problem for the staff. Chapter 10 in the Stone By Stone series.
1. Part I

**Title: Home Again  
Author: **Willow  
**Summary:** Sam's welcomed back into the White House, but first there's a chilly problem to solve. Set immediately after chapter 9  
**Spoilers/Episode:** Set in an a/u that leaves the show's timeline after season 5, Memorial Day. This chapter takes place immediately after chapter 9 .  
**Characters:** Ensemble, Sam & Chloe (a little J/D, just for fun)  
**Rating:** G

* * *

**Part I**

**Sunday January 9th 2005**

Sam and Josh took Donna to her apartment and then went to talk to Toby. "I'm telling you he'll say yes," Josh insisted. "And you must be pretty sure or you wouldn't be here," he smiled.

"You can never be completely sure with Toby," Sam replied as they reached Toby's apartment. "By the way, you and Donna is the best news I've had in a long time. And if anyone gives you any shit, I've got your back."

"Thanks," Josh smiled and knocked on Toby's apartment door. "Hey," he said when Toby answered. "Look who I found."

Toby grinned at Sam. "I didn't know you were in town."

"I wanted to surprise everyone. You busy?"

"Not at the moment, I'm seeing the twins in an hour."

"We can come back," Sam offered as he was suddenly hit by nerves.

"No we can't," Josh said. "Tell him."

"Tell me what?" Toby asked. "You want a drink?"

"No we're fine," Josh replied. "Tell him," he repeated and nudged Sam.

Toby watched Josh and Sam curiously. Sam looked nervous about something, while Josh looked excited. "Sam," he said. "Whatever it is, just tell me."

"I was wondering, and I'll understand if you say no, but I was wondering whether you'd like to offer me a job."

"A job doing what?" Toby asked with a smile.

"Anything on the writing staff really would be okay."

"For God's sake," Josh muttered. "Sam was wondering if he can have his job back."

Toby gave Josh an amused look, "I'd worked that out." He looked back at Sam. "What about your current job?"

"It was a temporary contract," Sam replied. "It expired last week."

"So you're unemployed, again?" Toby asked.

"No, they offered to renew the contract, that's not why I'm asking."

Toby smiled, "I know. Why would you think I'd say no?"

"'Cos I left."

"And he sent Will to you," Josh added mischievously.

"You left for a good reason," Toby told Sam, "and I was one of those who told you to do it, so I don't care about that. However, sending me Will, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I like him, he's a good writer," Sam argued.

"Not as good as you," Toby replied. "And now he's going to try and get Russell elected, which is your fault."

"Put him out of his misery," Josh told Toby.

"Of course you can have the job, what the hell took you so long to ask?" Toby told Sam. "Although you still have to convince Leo and the president."

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When Josh pulled into his parking space at the White House, Sam was suddenly hit by a mixture of fear and excitement. The excitement was the same as he'd felt almost everyday during their first two or three years in office, before it had started to dull. Now he was relieved to find it back and he smiled as he climbed out of the car. The fear of course, was that Leo or the president would say no to his request, but his excitement was managing to quell the fear for now.

"What are you grinning at?" Josh asked.

"This," Sam pointed to the building. "It's just amazing to be here."

"It is," Josh agreed. Even after everything that had happened in the last five years, Josh still found himself awed to be working in the White House. "Of course you might not want to come back when you hear what happened last week."

"Why, what happened?" Sam asked.

"Leo's reinstated Big Block Of Cheese Day," Josh grinned.

"Oh, God, really," Sam gave a mock sigh.

"'Fraid so. It'll be followed by one the the president's chili evenings."

"Chili? You couldn't have warned me?" Sam smiled as they entered the lobby.

Josh signed Sam in and they walked through the west wing to Leo's office. Even though it was Sunday morning, none of them had been too surprised that Leo was in the office. Sam waited nervously at Margaret's empty desk, while Josh and Toby went to talk to Leo.

Josh tapped gently on the door and walked into Leo's office. "Do you have a minute?"

Leo looked up. "I didn't know you were in."

"We're not, not really," Josh replied. "We need to talk to you about something."

"You do know I work Sundays because it's peaceful and I don't get disturbed," Leo complained good-naturedly. Josh had a nervously excited air about him, which usually meant he had an outrageous plan that might just work, but which gave Leo sleepless nights. "I hate to ask, what's happened?"

"Sam's here," Josh replied.

"Here, in the building?" Leo asked. "You know how to show your friends a good time when they visit."

"He wants to talk to you," Josh said.

"About what?" Leo asked.

"A job," Josh replied.

"Josh," Leo sighed.

"He wants the deputy's job back," Toby supplied.

Not many things took Leo by surprise, but he hadn't been expecting that. "He does?"

"Yeah," Josh agreed.

"What do you think?" Leo asked Toby.

"Yeah," Toby replied.

"Is he serious though? This isn't a whim?" Leo asked.

"He says he's been thinking about it since his last visit," Josh said.

"Yet he took a job someplace else," Leo pointed out.

"He wanted to be sure," Josh replied. "His contract at Debavoise and Plimpton is up, they've offered to renew it, but he wants to come back to Washington. He is serious, Leo. He wants to get back into politics and if we don't take him, someone else will."

"Okay," Leo smiled. "If you two are happy then I'll talk to the president. Where is he?"

"Sam," Josh called Sam into the office.

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Jed couldn't take it any longer; Leo was hovering and obviously dying to tell him something. "Okay, I can read this later," he said. "What's wrong?"

"I can come back....."

"No."

Leo smiled. "State Of The Union may be easier than we thought this year."

"Toby's discovered how to relax?" Jed asked.

"Toby's chosen a deputy."

"About time, it's only taken him 18 months. I don't know why he has to make things so difficult for himself, it's almost like he enjoys being able to complain." Jed caught Leo's impatient sigh and he smiled. "Who is the poor soul, more to the point, does he understand what he's let himself in for?"

"I think he knows."

"Who is it?"

"Sam."

"Sam?" Jed asked. "Seaborn?"

"Yeah. Seems, as much as he enjoyed his new job in Connecticut, he misses us. Also, it's taken him the last three months to talk his fiance round to him working in Washington."

"And she's happy about it now?"

"Apparently."

"What about when she discovers that he'll be working an 80 hour week?"

"They've got it worked out, a place here, a place there, I don't know," Leo shrugged. "You don't seem too happy?"

"Don't get me wrong, Leo, I love the idea of having Sam back, I just want to make sure he's thought this through."

"You want to talk to him? He's waiting nervously in Josh's office."

Jed finally smiled. He picked up the phone and called Josh's office. "Josh, come over to the Residence and bring Toby and Sam with you."

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**Sunday Evening, Connecticut**

"So what did they say?" Chloe asked as they drove home from the airport.

"Yes," Sam smiled.

"I already know that because you called me and if you hadn't, your stupidly happy grin would give the game away," Chloe teased. "I mean, what did they say, you sounded surprised on the phone."

"I wasn't completely sure they would agree. I knew Josh would, I was surprised how easy Toby was to convince, Leo gave me a bit of a grilling; I think he was worried about you."

"Me?"

Sam shrugged, "Long hours, trips away, you know. The president kept me talking in the Residence for over an hour. He only let me go when Abbey reminded him of the time and that they had to leave for Mass."

Chloe drove quietly along the freeway, while Sam relayed parts of his conversations with the president and first lady, and with the White House chief of staff. It suddenly occurred to her that he was returning to another world, a world she had no knowledge of, and it scared her a little. He'd always talked about them, the White House staff, the president and first lady, but they weren't real to her, now suddenly they were about to become a huge part of Sam's life again and that in turn would make them a part of her life too.

Sam stopped talking when he noticed Chloe's quietness, he studied her in the street lights for a second before asking, "Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"I said I was." Chloe knew he wanted more than that, but she couldn't explain the nervousness she felt, not even to herself. She did know how important this was to Sam though and she wasn't going to stand in his way. "It's what you want to do, if you're happy then I am."

"I know," Sam agreed. "It's just, we won't be seeing much of each other."

"We'll have the weekends, or at least the evenings at the weekends. It'll only be for one semester, I should be able to get a transfer to someplace nearer by then."

"You don't mind that?" Sam asked. "We moved to Connecticut because you were homesick."

"I know, but it's not that far or that different. California was a world away, it wasn't home."

"You sound like Josh," Sam smiled. "His mom moved to Florida three years ago, he's lived in Washington for 20 years, but he still insists that Westport is home."

"We New Englanders are a homely bunch. It's like that Welsh thing Maude was telling us about."

"Hiraeth," Sam remembered. "A longing for the land," he smiled. "A yearning to be home in the land of your fathers?"

"Yes," Chloe agreed.

"Except Josh's father was born in Poland, but I get your meaning. You can meet them all now, no excuses."

"I haven't been making excuses," Chloe protested, although she knew she had. There had been nothing stopping her going with him today, but she'd made an excuse about work preparation and marking. "It's just kind of scary meeting them."

"Why?"

"They're almost your family," Chloe replied and then smiled, "except you like them better."

"True," Sam agreed. "But they'll love you."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Even Toby Ziegler?"

"He doesn't like new people at first, takes him a year or so, but then you'll be fine," Sam smiled. It was actually Josh she was going to have to convince, but he didn't tell Chloe that. Josh never approved of his girlfriends, although in fairness he never approved of Josh's either, until now. "You'll get to meet the president."

"When?" Chloe asked nervously.

"State Of The Union."

"That's only three weeks off."

"Yes. He will love you, he's a great guy. When you meet him you'll be glad you voted for him."

"Who said I voted for him?" Chloe asked.

"That's not funny," Sam smiled.

"It wasn't meant to be," she said, but she couldn't keep a straight face. "When do you start then?"

"Next Monday. I thought we could go on Friday after you finish work. You can meet everyone and we can do some apartment hunting."

Part 2 >>>>


	2. Part 2

**Title: Home Again  
Author: **Willow  
**Summary:** Sam's welcomed back into the White House, but first there's a chilly problem to solve. Set immediately after chapter 9  
**Spoilers/Episode:** Set in an a/u that leaves the show's timeline after season 5, Memorial Day. This chapter takes place immediately after chapter 9 .  
**Characters:** Ensemble, Sam & Chloe (a little J/D, just for fun)  
**Rating:** G

* * *

**Part II**

**Tuesday Morning - The White House **

"Anything else?" Leo asked the staff. "No? Good. Josh, set up the meeting. CJ, you can tell them about Sam. That's it, go and do some work," he told them and picked up his glasses.

"No, hang on," CJ stopped them from leaving. "Someone has to give me an answer," CJ said, looking at Josh, Leo and Toby.

"Do we look like heating engineers?" Josh asked.

"It's freezing. I've got the press sat in coats, scarves and gloves and they want to know why."

"Because the heating broke?" Leo suggested.

"That's what you want me to tell them?" CJ asked.

"I don't know what else to say, CJ. The heating failed to re-ignite after last night's scheduled maintenance."

"Is that what happened?" Josh asked.

"How the hell would I know?" Leo shrugged.

CJ glared at them. "I'm going with Leo's story."

"Good, now can you all get out of my office," Leo asked as the door to the oval office opened.

"Leo," Jed said, "why's it so cold?"

Leo sighed, "The heating broke."

"It's freezing," Jed replied. "It was like sleeping in an igloo in The Residence."

"Igloos are actually surprisingly..." CJ began and smiled at Toby's scowl.

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"Why's it so cold in here?" Will asked Josh.

"Cutbacks," Josh replied.

"Seriously?"

Josh nodded. "It was part of the budget negotiations; we can only have heating 3 days a week in January and February."

"You're pulling my leg," Will said.

"You think?" Josh asked.

"It's lovely and warm in the OEOB," Will told him and grinned at Josh's glare. "I'll shut up."

"What do you need?"

"What do you think Hoynes chances of getting back into politics are?"

"You mean; what do I think his chances of getting the nomination are?"

"Yeah."

"It'd be an impossible sell," Josh replied. "Maybe next time, but this time's too soon."

"So I shouldn't be worried?"

"About Hoynes, no," Josh replied.

"But?"

"You do know I don't actually work for you?" Josh asked.

"You know Washington better than me."

Josh smiled, "Was that an attempt at flattery?"

"Yeah, not a good one I admit."

"I think your problems are three fold and have nothing to do with John Hoynes."

"Go on."

"Really, you really want to hear this, because usually you just shrug and ignore me." Will nodded so Josh continued. "Okay, well first off is Gabriel Watters."

"Yeah, I heard about him. He's suddenly moving in all right circles."

Josh nodded. "Personally I think we may as well vote Republican and be done with it, but his people are getting serious."

"Second?" Will asked.

"Ifan Marshall."

"Seriously? He's nobody in party."

Josh shrugged, "Neither was Jed Bartlet, but he seems to have done okay."

"I almost dread to ask who the third is," Will sighed.

"Bob Russell."

"Josh, don't start...."

"You asked me the question, Will. He's a terrible candidate and you know it. If he wasn't VP then he wouldn't even be in the running. It's less than 12 months to Iowa, you need to make some decisions soon."

"I've made my decision."

"Really?"

"Yeah. What about you?"

"I have a job."

"Only for another two years."

"Two years is a long time. I'm not about to jump ship."

"Me either."

Josh nodded and shrugged. "Loyalty's a good thing, unless it's to the wrong person."

Will considered that and his next question. "Is that why you left Hoynes?"

"Yeah and I thought Jed Bartlet would make a better president."

"You were right," Will agreed.

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**Tuesday Afternoon**

Margaret handed Leo a memo to sign. "You know, Leo, I'm pretty sure there's a law against having to work in such cold conditions."

"Not here there isn't."

"I can't type properly because my fingers are so cold."

Leo handed the memo back, "What do you think I can do about it?"

"You're the chief of staff."

"And."

"Maintenance work for you."

"They're not on strike, Margaret, they're trying to fix it. And don't ask me how long it'll be."

"I'm just saying, it's cold."

"It's cold in here as well, in case you hadn't noticed. I don't have a fan heater hidden under my desk."

"Yeah, but you have the afternoon sun coming through your window."

"The afternoon sun?" Leo asked. "It's January."

"I'm just saying, the glass in the window acts like a ........."

"Margaret!"

"Yes."

"Go and do some work."

"Yeah."

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"Margaret says there's a law against having to work in extremes of temperature," Donna told Josh.

"She's probably right."

"So why are we still here?"

"This is The White House, we're ex...."

"Exempt from workplace laws," Donna sighed. "You know it's actually warmer outside, at least the sun's shining out there."

"You want to go and work in the Rose Garden?"

"Just tell me we're not working late tonight."

"I can tell you we're not," Josh offered.

"But you'd be lying."

"Yeah."

"Fine. I'm going to the mess for cocoa, you want one?"

"Actually, could you see if there's any soup I like."

"Would you like croutons with that?" Donna asked.

Josh ignored the sarcasm. "Nah, they go all soggy, I don't like that."

"God it's cold," Toby complained as he entered the office.

"Donna's going to get soup, you want some?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Fine," Donna sighed. "I'll add waitressing to my list of duties."

"Okay," Josh agreed with a smile as Donna left the office. " 'Sup?" he asked Toby.

"Russell wants us to talk about sheep subsidies in the State Of The Union."

"I heard. But we're not going to are we?"

"Will's bound to bring it up at Senior Staff and then the president will latch onto it."

"He shouldn't even be at those meetings," Josh complained. "He isn't on the senior staff."

"This is what I've been telling people," Toby agreed.

Part 3 >>>>


	3. Part 3

**Title: Home Again  
Author: **Willow  
**Summary:** Sam's welcomed back into the White House, but first there's a chilly problem to solve. Set immediately after chapter 9  
**Spoilers/Episode:** Set in an a/u that leaves the show's timeline after season 5, Memorial Day. This chapter takes place immediately after chapter 9 .  
**Characters:** Ensemble, Sam & Chloe (a little J/D, just for fun)  
**Rating:** G

* * *

**Part III**

**Thursday**

"Josh, tell me if I'm a little mad here, you know hallucinating or something," Will began.

"Okay," Josh replied

"I was driving past your building this morning and could have sworn I saw Donna walking down the stoop."

"Donna?" Josh asked, trying to think of a way out of this.

"Yeah, it was about 6."

"There are plenty of other blondes in Georgetown."

"Donna doesn't live in Georgetown," Will pointed out.

"Exactly."

"So it wasn't Donna?"

"Leaving my apartment at 6 this morning?" Josh asked.

"Leaving your apartment at 6 this morning," Will agreed. "I know it was."

"She stays over sometimes."

"In the guest room?" Will asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Josh squirmed. "No, not in the guest room. You can't tell anyone, Will."

"Why. You make a great couple."

Josh smiled, "You think?" he asked, momentarily distracted."It doesn't matter. CJ will bounce me round the press room, Leo will replace me with an intern and those are nothing compared to what Toby will do."

"Yeah, I guess. What does Donna think about that though."

"She thinks we probably won't be able to keep it a secret for the rest of the term, but we should give it a shot."

"Could be fun," Will mused. "A secret relationship. Hey, I could help with alibis and secret rendezvous."

"You really need a hobby," Josh told him. "What the hell were you doing driving past my building at 6 in the morning?"

"I like the deli on the corner of your street."

"It doesn't open 'til 7."

"I know that now," Will sighed.

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"Stop that."

Josh looked over at Donna, "Stop what?"

"Glaring at Mark."

"Who the hell's Mark?" Josh asked.

"The intern you keep glaring at," Donna sighed.

"Did you see the way he looked at you?"

"Yes, he does that a lot."

"And it doesn't bother you?"

"It's flattering, Josh. A younger man finds me attractive." Donna glanced into the bullpen, "And it shouldn't bother you."

"It shouldn't bother me that an intern is leering at my girlfriend?"

"Not when no one knows I'm your girlfriend, no."

"Then there's another reason to tell everyone."

"We've had this discussion."

"Will knows about us."

"Why?"

"He saw you leave this the other morning. He's offered to give us alibis for our secret rendezvous," Josh grinned.

Donna raised her eyebrows, "Secret rendezvous?"

"His words not mine."

"He needs a hobby," Donna commented.

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**Saturday Night**

"Well done," Donna said as her and Josh entered his apartment.

"Thank you, what did I do?"

"You were behaved."

"Why wouldn't I behave?"

"Because you never like Sam's girlfriends, he was worried."

"One girlfriend, that's all. I admit I didn't like Lisa, she wasn't good for him."

"Wasn't good for him?" Donna asked.

"No. She was status mad, only cared what car someone drove, where they lived, where they worked, who their friends were, I can't stand that."

"I know you can't," Donna agreed. "He did mention that you didn't like someone called Julie he dated before Lisa."

"Yes," Josh agreed. "But she made a pass at me, in fact she made several passes at me."

"You weren't flattered, didn't find her attractive?" Donna teased.

"No, not when she was dating my best friend," Josh indignantly replied. "How can you even..."

"I was messing," Donna interrupted.

"Oh," Josh replied.

"So you like Chloe?"

"She's from Connecticut," Josh replied with a smile. "She seems nice, a little quiet at first, but once she relaxed she was good fun."

"She's only ever seen you, Toby and CJ on TV and you especially don't always come across as a nice person on Crossfire and Capital Beat. She was nervous of meeting us all."

"That makes sense I guess," Josh agreed and then gave her cheeky smile. "So, are we going to discuss Chloe, Sam and Sam's former girlfriends all night, or are you coming to bed?" Donna appeared to weigh up the options, so Josh pushed her gently. "Get in the bedroom now."

"And they say the romance fades after a while," Donna sighed.

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**Monday**

Sam walked into the lobby at 7.15 on Monday morning and wondered why he felt so nervous, he hadn't felt like this since his first day at Dewey Ballantine. He walked into Josh's bullpen but neither Josh nor Donna were there, so he continued through the bullpen and to CJ's office, but she wasn't around either. He walked back across the lobby, past the Roosevelt Room and into Communications. The sight of his office bought a smile to his face and cured some of his nerves. He entered his office, placed the cardboard box he'd been carrying onto the desk and his briefcase onto the floor, he hung up his coat, sat down behind the desk and started reading through some files Toby had left for him.

"Hey," Josh leaned into the office five minutes later. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?" Sam asked.

"Come on," Josh insisted and led Sam through the west wing.

"Hang on," Sam said as they approached the Mural Room. "This isn't a thing is it?"

"A thing?"

"You know, some kind of welcome back thing, 'cos I don't want a fuss."

"Ah," Josh smiled. "Bit late for that," he said as he opened the door to reveal a room full of people, including the president and Abbey.

"Surprise!" everyone shouted in unison.

Sam beamed and walked into the room. "Thank you," he smiled and took a drink off CJ. "Isn't it a bit early?" he asked her.

"It's OJ," she replied and kissed him on the cheek. "It's great to have you back."

"He didn't want a fuss," Josh told them.

"We misjudged that then," Jed smiled. "When I say we, I mean Toby."

Sam turned to face Toby and hugged him. "Thank you."

"This wasn't really my idea," Toby muttered.

"For taking me back," Sam clarified.

"You should probably reserve your thanks until the end of the week," CJ told him, "when you realize what you've done."

"Have you found an apartment?" Abbey asked.

"We did," Sam agreed as he took a slice of cake off the steward. "Near where I used to live on Capitol Hill. There was a nice one in Georgetown," he smiled toward Josh, "but there's some strange people live there."

"Will lives in Georgetown as well," Josh supplied.

"Well there you go then," Toby added.

"Where is he anyway?" Sam asked.

"He doesn't work for us," Toby sighed. "Why can't people understand that?"

"Don't start," Josh told him.

"I'm just saying, he sits in senior staff, he......"

"I know," Josh sighed. "But not now."

Sam grinned at the bickering; it felt good to be home again.

END OF CHAPTER 10


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